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CONTEXT
Contents
5.0 Objectives
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Case Situations
5.3 Ethics - An Introduction
5.4 Need for the Ethical Behaviour in Social Work
5.5 Purpose of a Code of Ethics
5.6 A Model of Code of Ethics for Indian Social Workers
5.7 Problems Faced by Social Workers in Ethical Decision Making
5.8 Lets Us Sum Up
5.9 Key Words
5.10 Suggested Readings
5.11 Answers to Check Your Progress
5.0 OBJECTIVES
This unit will enable you to understand the ethical aspects of social work practice.
A social workers primary function is problem solving in human relationships. These
situations are often complex and delicate in nature. Therefore ethical decision-
making is important in these situations and in this unit you will be given an introduction
to ethics and its relevance in social work.
At the end of the unit you will be able to:
understand what ethics is;
discuss the importance of ethics in social work;
familiarize yourself with the code of ethics of social work; and I
1) You are the administrator of an agency and you are sending applications of
poor families to the government agencies asking for &ancia1 aid. Your subordinate
wants you to reduce the annual income of the families shown in the documents
as helshe feels that that will improve their chances of getting the aid. Besides
helshe says that all other agencies do the same and if your agency does not do
that, households of your community will be at a disadvantage. Will you agree
to knowingly misrepresent information to help the families?
A woman buys female babies from poor families andoffers them for adoption
to well to do families. She claims that she is not making money in the process
and is only interested in helping the female babies as well as the families. She
says that .if the babies are not removed from the families they will most likely
be killed or ill-treated which also will most likely result in death. (She quotes
certain statistics to prove her point). She says that she is breaking the law but
compares it to Gandhi's breaking of the law during freedom struggle. The aim
is the greater good of society with no loss to anyone in the process. Is she
doing the right thing?
4) Your colleagues in the counseling centre discuss the problems of the clients and
make fun of their problems. When you ask them why they do so, they say that
the information does not go out of the group and that the clients will never come
to know of this. When you say that you will report this to your superior they
threaten to break up their relationship with you if you proceed. Will you be
willing to be ostracized by the group, to resolve a problem on account of
which nobody seems to be affected?
6) An unwed woman comes to seek assistance from you to abort her foetus. She
says that she has no choice as the father of the unborn child has refused to
marry her. Her parents have arranged her marriage with someone else. But if
they come to know of this they will certainly cancel the maniage. The pregnancy
has reached a stage where it can not be legally aborted. The woman has not
informed her parents about her condition and does not intend to do so. Will you
help her to abort even though it is illegal?
8) Your client (opposite sex) proposes maniage to you. Helshe says that you both
Basics o f Social W o r k have the same social background and therefore should get married. She points
out that there are a number of instances where professional relationships have
become personal. For example, colleagues working in the same office get
married; doctors marry nurses and so on. Will you accept the proposal if you
feel that he/ she fits the requirement of your life partner?
As you may have noticed most of the above cases deal with situations in which all
options available seem to be right from one or the other perspective. In real life also
most of the time social workers are often confronted with such situations. An
understanding of the ethical dimensions of decision-making thus becomes important.
ETHICS - AN INTRODUCTION
Ethics also called moral philosophy is concerned about what is right and what is
wrong. It can be divided into two sections - normative ethics and metaethics.
Normative ethics deals with the principles we live by. Metaethics has a larger
concern and its deals with the nature and methodology of moral judgments. In other
words, it deals with the basis on which decisions should be made. Should the
ultimate consequences of the decision, for example be promoting happiness or
promoting perfectionism in society? Religious people base their decisions on what
they believe to be the will of god and on god's word. As social workers we are
interested in ethics so that o w relationships with clients, ow colleagues, o w superiors
and our subordinates are within the framework of social work values.
Social work rejects Social Darwinism and utilitarianism. Social work initially emerged
in the Western countries including U. S. A. and was therefore influenced by Judeo
Christian values. As the profession began to spread to Gulf and other parts of Asia,
the religious traditions of these countries also influenced the social work profession
in these regions. Social workers are trying to incorporate indigenous values into the
profession so that the profession gets better recognition and acceptance from the
people. This process will be an extended one, as most post-colonial societies are
yet to recover, intellectually and academically, from the colonial experience.
Scientific values and methods have also influenced the practice of social work. It
may seem strange that social work is influenced by two seemingly contrary values
of science and religion. Social work rejects those religious values that advocate that
an individual suffers due to other- worldly reasons like god's anger or predestination.
It believes that every individual has the capacity to solve his/ her problems if he/
she is provided with the necessary resources. Consequently factors that cause an
individual's problem or a social problem are identified using scientific methods
namely observation, description, classification and explanation. Solutions based on
rationality are identified and formulated. The following values are the basis of social
work profession - social justice, the dignity and worth of the individual importance
of human relationships; integrity, and competence.
P
You must have notice that professionals who deal with the human body, human
psyche and human relationships always have a code of conduct. Doctors have a
code of conduct which they have to follow while they are practicing. Doctors Social W o r k Ethics in
Indian Context
pledge to prescribe only beneficial treatment, according to their abilities and judgment;
to refrain from causing harm or hurt; and to live an exemplary personal and
professional life. Lawyers have their own code, which they have to follow when
they are interacting with clients, pleading before a judge and questioning witnesses.
These codes have evolved over time during which these professions emerged in
society. As these professions emerged there were several instances of misuse of
these positions by unscrupulous individuals who harmed the professions. The codes
were formulated so that behaivour of these professionals are controlled and society's
trust in them is not lost.
Professions that have ethical codes generally have a body of fellow professionals
who are elected by the professional organisation to oversee their implementation.
In advanced countries these bodies have wide ranging powers. These include the
power to censure the offending member; impose a fine on the member and even
revoke the member's license to practice. when one former American President
was found guilty of perjury the Bar Association of his home state revoked his
license to practice in the court and now he is not allowed to practice law in that
state. In India the license of a doctor-actor was revoked by the Medical Council
after it was alleged that he had advertised a medicine which did not meet the
standards set by the Council. Of course in both these high profile cases there
existed a political angle to the problem which lead the respective associations to
take such drastic steps. But these examples do show that the ethical codes of
professions are a serious matter and that professional bodies are powerful
organisations. We shall now specifically take up the social work code of ethics.
Social workers during their interaction with clients and their significant
others have to sensitive information: The purpose of the client to share information
is to enable the social worker to get better insight into the problem and then help
the client to solve the problem. But if the social worker reveals this sensitive
information inadvertently or purposely to others helshe will be damaging the client's
cause and furthering complicate the problem. Strict observance of the principle of
confidentiality is necessary in this situation.
Social workers are often in situations wltere their decisions can cause
serious damage to the client: Social workers often deal with clients who are
facing serious problems. Their personalities are often disintegrated and they may be
vulnerable to emotional and physical abuse. Even otherwise there is a power relation
between the social worker and the client. The case worker has more knowledge
and is in greater control of his/ her emotions than the client. This power should not
be used to the disadvantage of the client. In some cases the caseworker may
unconsciously commit an error which causes damage to the client. The chances for
such errors are minimized when the social worker has internalized the social work
ethics.
Basics of Social Work Social workers occupy positions of nutlzority in governmental and non
governmental organisntions: Any position of authority has an element of
accountability attached to it. Accountability means 'to give count o f . You have
been entrusted with certain goods and after use you have to account for what you
have used, for what purpose, how and to what effect. Social workers, unlike others
have an additional responsibility - they have to see that the human dignity and
human self is preserved.
Probably no other profession deals with these aspects as directly as social work.
A policeman has to only think whether his action would reduce the crime rate and
whether he is following the due process of law when he is acting. The lawyer has
to only think whether hisher client's interests will be served by hisher actions. A
priest has to only worry whether his actions will help hlfill the individual's religious
needs. But the social worker's decisions should express concern for human dignity
and human self.
Social workers are often in positions where they can allocate resources: In
most cases, allocating resources to one party means not allocating it to others who
are also be needy. This is true of a country like India where scarcity exists almost
everywhere. In an adoption center a social worker may be asked whether a
particular couple can be allowed to adopt a child. The social worker's opinion will
have a bearing on the lives of at least three individuals.
Social workers have to preserve professional autonomy: In a democratic
country the government is the ultimate authority and it plays an important role in
regulating other institutions. But some times this regulation becomes an intrusion into
the internal affairs of the professions which is not desirable. If the professionals
themselves regulate their affaires, government action becomes unnecessary and
their professional autonomy can be preserved.
Check Your Progress I
Note: a) Use the space provided for your answers.
b) Check your answers with those provided at the end of this unit.
1) List some reasons why social workers should have a code of ethics.
1) The Code identifies core values on which social work's mission is based.
2) The Code summarizes broad ethical principles that reflect the profession's core
values and establishes a set of specific ethical standards that should be used
to guide social work practice
3) The Code is designed to help social workers identi@ relevant considerations
when professional obligations codictual or ethical uncertainties arise.
4) The Code provides ethical standards to which the general public can hold the
social work profession accountable.
5) The Code socializespractitioners new to the field, to social work's mission,
values, ethical principles and ethical standards.
I
I 6) The Code articulates standards that the social work profession itself can use
to assess whether social workers have engaged in unethical conduct.
These codes have been formulated by experts in the profession and presented
before the general assembly of the social work association of that country. In the
general assembly, the issues are discussed word by word. Different points of view
are expressed and debated upon. After such wide ranging discussions aqd several
revisions, the final draft of the code is put to vote and accepted. The broad
participation of social workers and the democratic procedure followed by the
assembly ensures that the codes receive wide acceptance. It has a substantial
influence on the social worker 's practice in these countries. If anyone is found
breaking the code action is taken after a formal inquiry.
In India however there exists no association, which commands such authority among
the social workers. Some associations, which are basically regional based, have
developed a code of ethics <3ftheir own. However as these associations have
limited selected members and exclude a majority of the social workers of the
country, their influence on social work practice is limited. The government has also
not recognized any body and has not entrusted any one with the authority to
regulate social work. Efforts were made to formulate a Professional Social Workers'
Bill that is aimed at regulating the social work practice in the country. However
no results have been achieved.
Here we have tried to present a model of a code of ethics, which can be used in
social work practice in the Indian context. The social workers are encouraged to
adhere to these codes even during their training period. As one goes through the
code it will be noticed that ultimately it is the responsibility of the individual who
has to maintain these standards in his or her behaivour. External agencies can only
regulate the social worker's behaviour up to a certain extent. Therefore it is necessary
that we internalize these values and make them a part of our personality.
The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These
core values, embraced by social workers throughout the profession's history, are
the foundation of social work's unique purpose and perspective. The core values
are:
service
social justice
dignity and worth of the person
importance of human relationships
integrity
competence.
Tlze social worker should act in accordance with tlze highest standards of
personal conduct as a social worker: The social worker should maintain high
standards of personal conduct when he1 she is dealin6 with others. High standards
of conduct would mean that the social worker should not engage in dishonest acts,
cheating and deceit. Usually a person's life is 'divided' into two- professional and
private. The individual's professional life is supposed to be open to public returning
where as in his private life helshe has the fieedom to do as helshe pleases without
breaking the law. But the social worker has great responsibility even in his personal
life. For example, it is unlikely that a social .worker can be bigamous and still
maintain the community's respect as a guide or leader.
The social worker should strive to achieve a higlz level of competence and
proficiency in the practice ofthe profession: Pursuit of excellence is a desired
goal of every committed professional, no matter what the field is. Social workers
are not different from others in this aspect. A social worker should, in various
ways, update hisl her knowledge about the areas related to hisl her practice.
The social worker should take only those cases which he1 she can handle with hisl
her level of competence. The decision to take up the case should be made after
a through and impartial study of the facts and circumstances related to the case.
After taking up the case if the social worker at any stage feels that the case is
beyond his/ her competence he/ she should make arrangements to transfer the case
to a more competent professional.
In some cases the social worker may himself or herself undergo stressll situations
which may affect his/ her performance. The social worker should take professional
help and make alternative arrangements for his1 her clients. Even otherwise the
social worker should ensure that his I her problems do not interfere with hisl her
behaivour with the client and consequently affect the client adversely. The social
worker should not misrepresent hisl her qualification, and experience in order to
get a job or a promotion.
The social worker regards as primary the service obligation of the social
work profession: Social work as a profession legitimizes its existence by providing
effective service to the clients. The social worker is allowed to intervene in the
private life of the individual ~rovidedt n a ~IIG, WIG I ~ ~ ~ " ~ ~ s I U .
- Social Work Ethics in
Indian Context
Acceptance of the client regardless of the his/ her personal qualities Is impoi-rat;:
the relationship. The professional should ensure that discriminatory and inllkAlu~e
actions are not allowed in his/ her practice and within his/ her sphere of authority.
Tlze social worker should act in accordance with the highest standards of
professional integrity and impartiality: The social worker should take care to
ensure that social work values and principles are applied in its practice. Helshe
should be able to resist all harmhl influences, the sources of which are within the
I agency or outside the agency; from colleagues, subordinates or superiors; from
i
bureaucrats, politicians or anybody else who is in a position to do so.
The social worker should not use the professional relationship for private gain.
Tlze social worker engaged in study and research should be guided by the
conventions ofscholarly inquiry: Research in social work is related to human
problems and people who are experiencing these problems are more often than not
experiencing severe trauma. The researcher, while collecting information ffom these
sources should take into account the sensitivity of the problem, the iinpact the
process will make on the individual and the impact on the service delivery of the
agency on the whole. The researcher should not coerce anybody to participate in
the research process. Further care should be taken to ensure that no harm is done
to the respondents as a consequence of their participation in the research work.
The social worker should collaborate and consult with fellow social workers and
professionals of other disciplines if it serves the interest of the client. In some cases
when other professionals will not.be as cooperative as one may want them to be,
the social worker should remember that he/ she has to take a ho1,isticview of the
client and also protect his/ her dignity. Hence he/ she can set aside his/ her ego in
the interest of the client.
In the Indian situation the mcial wxkr should see that the client is not discriminated
against on the basis of sex, caste, religican, language, ethnicity, marital status, or
Basics o f Social W o r k sexual preference. The social worker's relationship with the client is a professional
one and therefore has specific objectives. It would be wrong on the part of the
social worker to interfere in those areas of the client's life which are related to the
problem. For example, a social worker may be a n~oralistwho believes that
homosexuality is a sin, but hislher client who has come to himher for HIVIAIDS
cou~~selling may be a homosexual. In such a situation, one should not condemn the
patient. It is always advisable to understand the client's problem from hislher
perspective.
Riglzts and Prerogatives of Clients: The social worker should make every effort
to foster maximum self-determination on the part of clients. Self determination
means giving the client the necessary opportunities, support, confidence and
knowledge to make decisions that will affect his1 her life. The social worker when
confronted with situations where the client cannot make decisions should keep in
mind the rights of the clients, his1 her socio-cultural situation and other relevant facts .
that affect the client while making decisions for the client.
Confinentiality and Privacy: The social worker should respect the privacy of
the client and hold in confidence all information obtained during the course of
professional service. Information regarding the client can be given to those individuals
who need to be informed with the knowledge and consent of the client. Information
kept in records should be carefully maintained and access to these records should
be restricted.
When information has to be shared with others, the social worker should tell the
client about it and seek hid her consent. The client's feelings and emotions regarding
this should be respected and action may be taken accordingly.
Fees: When setting fees, the social worker should ensure that they are fair,
reasonable, considerate, and commensurate with the service performed and with
due regard for the clients' ability to pay.
The social worker is not in the profession solely to make money. Social workers
should not make their endeavours, merely money making activities. Therefore the
social worker should charge fees that are fair and reasonable, taking into
consideration the time and expertise helshe has used in course of the service
delivery
It inay be noted that unlike in the West, social work practice in India is yet to gain
professional status. There is no accrediting body or regulatory body. The common
man is not adequately educated or informed about the social work profession and
the benefits one can seek from them. As on date social worker are only employed
and paid by agencies and private practice for monetary gain hardly exists.
Respect, Fairness, and Courtesy: The social worker should treat colleagues with
respect, courtesy, fairness, and good faith. This is applicable to colleagues who are
social workers as well as those who belong to other professions.
Dealing witlz Colleagues' Clients: The social worker has the responsibility to
relate to the clients of colleagues with full professionalconsideration. In case of the
absence of the colleagues, the social worker should deal with the clients as he1 she
deals with his/ her own. The social worker should not steal a colleague's client,
influence them outside the formal channels or try to mar the reputation of the Social Work Ethics in
Indian Context
colleague. A colleague client can be transferred only with the full knowledge and
consent of the colleague. However a client is free to change hisher counselor on
hisher own free will.
Social worker as an employee: The social worker should adhere to rules and
regulations of the employing agencies. Most agencies have a hierarchy and will
assign the social worker a position in an agency. The social worker should try to
follow all the legitimate instructions of hid her superiors. The social worker's response
to unethical practices in the agency will have to be dealt according to the seriou,-crless
of the offense, its adverse effect on the clients and on with society. In no circumstances
should the social worker be part of any wrong- doings done by the agency even
if he/ she is employed by that agency.
Maintaining the Integrity of tlre Profession: The social worker should uphold
and advance the values, ethics, knowledge and mission of the profession. The
social worker should remember that he1 she is part of a larger community of
professionals and hisl her actions will positively or negatively affect the profession
and its professionals. The social worker should take to the appropriate agency any
instances of serious wrong-doing by members of the social work profession.
The social worker should not misrepresent hisl her professional qualifications and
abilities. For example, a social worker~shouldnot claim that helshe is a medical
doctor even though that may increase hisl her credibility with the community and
make them more responsive to hisl her message. ,.
The social worker should not misrepresent facts regarding the clients even when it
seems to benefit them. The profession's credibility and the social worker's credibility
will be affected if the impression is given that facts are distorted for that purpose.
The social worker sllould assist tlze profession in making social services
available to the generalpublic: The social worker's involvement in providing
social services does not end with hisl her working hours. The social worker should
make available his1 her time and expertise for efforts which seek improvement in
society.
Promoting tlte General Wevare: The social worker should promote the general
welfare of society. The social work should participate in all efforts which seek to
eradicate social problems of discrimination and exclusion, violation of human rights
and promotion of equality.
Basics o f Social W o r k Check Your Progress 11
Note: a) Use the space provided for your answers.
b) Check your answers with those provided at the end of this unit.
i) What should be the conduct of the social workers towards other professionals
working with him/ her?
There are many problems regarding ethical decision-making and we have discussed
some of them here. These problems show that the social worker should be extremely
carehl while making decisions which affect powerful people. Unless social workers
get adequate recognition from society and the government it would be difficult to
bring about any basic changes in society. Till this happens the social work discipline
will remain a secondary profession in society.
Social Darwinism : Darwin gave the theory of the 'survival of the fittest'
which said that some members of a species survived and
others became extinct because the forn~erhad some innate
qualities which enabled them to win over the weaker
ones. Drawing a analogy for human society, Social
Darwinism believes that the people who have the
necessaty qualities will triumph over others and the losers
deserve to be eliminated not physically but socially.
1) The social worker should treat other professionals with courtesy, understanding
and respect. They must obey the legitimate orders of their superiors. With
fellow social workers they must have a good working relationship. They must
always keep in mind the welfare of the client.
1) Social workers in India do not have professional bodies which can support
them in difficult circumstances and secondly Indian society is undergoing a
crises of values as values are being questioned. This has affected every section
of the society including social workers.